He Couldn't
by flame gazer
Summary: [UPDATE BY SEPT 8] Naruto had gone through hell and back to bring Sasuke back to Konoha. But when Naruto had worn his heart on his sleeve and confessed his love, he was rejected and disapears. Nine years later, will Sasuke be able to fix wHAT was theirs?


He couldn't help it, not many people could in this situation. He couldn't help the tears that he knew were going to fall. He couldn't help the sound of his heart break ringing in his ears like the sound of a mirror being broken, thousands of shards lost. Many of them never to be found again. He couldn't help the feeling of loneliness that was invading his senses, surrounding him from all sides, letting him know that he will never be able to escape. There wasn't one when he was young, there won't be one when he's older, and there wasn't going to be one now.

But he could help who saw him in the moment of his weakness, and is sure a hell was not going to be _him. _

"Did you honestly think that I could be interested in a fag like you?"

"I'm sorry Sasuke, I guess I was mistaken."

"God, you really are a dobe aren't you?"

Naruto bowed and left.

Hot trails of tears fell down his cheeks as soon as his back was turned to the object of his affections.

Naruto didn't sob. He didn't wipe away the silent tears that make there way down his face. He just ignored their existence.

That was just weeks after Naruto had brought Sasuke, his best friend, back.

He was sixteen now, and he was still loud, because there were silences that needed to be filled. He was still as bright as the August sun, because there were monsters that lurked in the shadows that needed to be chased away. He brightened the lives of everyone he came in contact with, chasing away the loneliness and the darkness, protecting people from their own dark thoughts.

But not anymore.

A sad smile graced Naruto's lips as he looked over his shoulder and saw Sasuke standing there watching him walk away with –disappointment or anger?- in his eyes. "Goodbye Sasuke," he gently whispered.

The words were stolen away from his lips, by wind and by moonlight, as soon as his voice met the chilly night air.

**:LINE:**

Over the next few weeks, everyone in the village noticed a change in Naruto. A very BIG change in Naruto.

His orange jumper was gone, replaced with black and dark red. He was quiet. In fact, he hardly spoke to anyone unless addressed specifically. And even then he kept quiet and his words to a minimum.

The only person he spoke freely with now is Sakura, and even then he is still subdued.

Blunt and to the point, that was the new Naruto.

He would be gone more and more on missions that kept getting longer and longer.

Soon, he was just… gone.

**:LINE:**

Naruto's mission 'officially' began six years ago, but it required three years of undercover investigation and actions that he wasn't too proud of before he was in the position for his mission to begin.

He had worked his way up through the bureaucracy that severely shown the difference between the ranks that lead all the way up to the target. Orichimaru.

Naruto had become his right hand man, and now, Orichimaru lay dead in the underground compound. Slain by the most loyal of all his men. If only the undying loyalty had lied with Orichimaru, then maybe he would still be alive. Or, at least, would have died a quick death instead of one filled with torment and torture.

**:LINE:**

He's twenty five now. His blonde hair is still in short spikes and his eyes are still bright blue, but if you looked, truly looked, you would see that they were darker now, they were deeper now.

But people wouldn't look, well, not any that he paid attention to, which wasn't many.

In fact, many women watched him as he walked past.

If you were to compare him to the sixteen year old that left Konoha nine years ago, you would notice a lot of differences in how he had changed.

How he was no longer short, but had grown taller that most that he had met during his absence.

How his sunshine bright hair was paler now from all the time he spent living without a roof over his head.

You would notice that he grew out the front of his hair and let his bangs gently fall to his cheek bones, framing his face and effectively covering his eyes if he so wished.

You would have noticed that all his baby fat had gone, leaving only lean, taught muscle underneath tanned skin.

You would have noticed that he had gotten rid of his trademark orange jumper, permanently, having finally realized that it was very impractical and all too recognizable.

Instead he wore black pants that hung loose on his legs. He wore a black, sleeveless tank, tight enough to be considered a second skin. Leaving none to the imagination, much to the joy of the female and even some of the male population of whatever town he was in at the moment.

But there was something very different about him from everyone else that has ever set eyes on him, something that everyone noticed, both ninja and civilian alike. That was the two short swords that were sheathed on his back, blades crossing, one handle over each shoulder. A cylindrical leather tube was slung across his back, over his right shoulder. A pouch hung on his right hip, about nineteen inches long. And the katana that hung on his left hip.

Along with these weapons plus the kunai and shuriken that he had in the pouches on his right leg and on his belt, he was armed and knew how to use these weapons better than any he had faced. Any.

But then again, no one compared him to the boy he had been nine years ago because Uzumaki Naruto was a completely different man.

The blonde beauty walked through the village hidden in the leaves, making his way through the crowded marketplace to the Hokage's office.

He quietly walked in to the building, and knocked softly on the door. Not even two seconds later the door was thrown open and Naruto was being embraced by none other Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage.

"Hello Hokage-sama."

She pulled back enough to be able to look at his face. A soft smile graced her features, making her look just as young as he remembered her.

"Well Brat, you really have grown up."

She walked back to her desk, and opened the very bottom drawer with a key that she kept around her neck.

She threw two objects which he caught without even thinking. It was his headband and his ANBU mask that resembled a fox.

Tsunade couldn't help the motherly pride that she held for him as he traced the leaf that symbolized loyalty to a home that he protected with his life, but would have killed him given the opportunity.

A clock on the wall rung, making the Hokage pull the man out of his thoughts and quickly began shoving his ANBU mask on.

"Oi! Hokage-sama, beg your pardon, bur what are you doing?"

Tsunade stopped instantly and gave Naruto a weird look. "'Beg your pardon'? What the hell happened to you?"

Just as Naruto was about to retort, a soft knock was heard on the door making Tsunade shove the mask on all the more quickly.

The door opened just as Naruto got Tsunade to let go and was adjusting the mask to set more comfortably on his face.

The man (Naruto assumed by his height, the way the stranger walked, how the stranger carried himself, and Naruto was _always_ right in his assumptions) entered the room, his black ANBU jacket covered his black armor and his hawk mask was framed by some of his blacker that midnight hair.

Tsunade turned to the new comer. "ANBU member hawk, I would like to introduce you to your ANBU captain.

Naruto could feel the hate and annoyance radiate of off 'Hawk' and smirked beneath his mask. He walked around 'Hawk', slowly, intent on studying and knowing all his weaponry, hidden or not, and how he stood, should his posture inform Naruto of wounds, old or new. And, to test his nerve. Not many could stand to be under his gaze for a few moments, but this _specimen_ was doing quite well. Never a shudder of a flinch in his confidence marred his visage as the perfect warrior.

"So," he began, "you're the one that has been leading my team while I was gone. Based upon the reports I have read, you have done extremely well, Acting Captain Uchiha."

Waves of rage and hate flooded of off Sasuke as he realized that this… this… _complete stranger_ was his superior officer.

"How do you know me?"

Naruto lifted an eyebrow, even though no one saw it behind his mask.

"I know more about you then people that you let into your life now, or people that would be in your life if you would have allowed them in."

Naruto instantly caught the kunai that was aimed at his head. "Well then, I guess _that's_ still a sensitive topic."

The next thing that was thrown at him was a hawk mask, which he also caught. Along with the 7 shuriken, 13 stars, and a katana.

"I suggest that you work on your anger issues if you want to keep your position as high a rank as it is at this moment, Uchiha."

"And why the fuck should I listen to you?" Tsunade's laughter rang though out the room, immediately cutting down on the murderous aura that filled it.

Naruto pulled his mask askew and off to the side, his piercing blue eyes looking deep into Sasuke's as the Uchiha's anger feel, replaced with emotions that he thought would be gone after all this time.

"You should because I'm the only true friend you ever had."

**:LINE:**

Sasuke couldn't help but stare at the door that his best friend, his _only_ friend walked out of.

He immediately crashed through the door that the blonde had just walked out of and began running down the corridors, searching for him.

"Naruto! Naruto! Come back! Please!" Sasuke's voice rang throughout the building.

"Jeez teme, I was right behind you the entire time, no need to yell."

Naruto saw the punch coming, but let Sasuke land it anyways, but he didn't expect the embrace that was to follow immediately afterwards.

Or the feeling of hot tears flowing onto his neck from the other boy.


End file.
